Nude Aruna escapes Censor’s cut!

There is good news for fans of Aruna Shields, London’s desi import to Bollywood, who brought new meaning to sizzle by lighting up the screen wearing a bikini opposite Vivek Oberoi in Prince.

The Censor Board has passed Manu Kumaran’s film in which the hot actress has appeared nude and done some torrid love-making scenes with actor Prashant Narayanan. But… with an ‘A’ certificate.

No matter, director Pravesh Bhardawaj who insisted on retaining three lengthy love-making scenes in this avant garde film, is relieved. This role was turned down by over 60 actresses who didn’t want to go fully nude before the camera. And at this stage to have those scenes deleted would be disastrous for the film. It was made with a low budget, using just four characters and a hand-held camera in ‘world cinema’ style.

Apparently, the Censors were divided over the nudity in the film. Some members wanted to delete the scenes entirely. Others suggested that Aruna’s exposed butt be blurred in the over-the-top scenes. Pravesh is grateful, naturally, he went through several revising committee screenings and some anxious moments. The nudity, he said, is not meant to titillate but more as a psychological impact.

Aruna, an Anglo Indian theatre artist who has done some forgettable UK comedy-sex-drama films (including Jag Mundhra’s Private Moments), plays the muse of her painter-lover in this film and does some Kate Winslet-type scenes from Titanic. Her nudity, now that it has been passed, will be a first for Indian viewers because the Censors had snipped off the too-graphic scenes from Titanic.